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Red-hot Brantley vital to Tribe's success

Red-hot Brantley vital to Tribe's success

TORONTO -- Michael Brantley has been on a tear as he takes an 11-game hitting streak into Saturday's contest against the Blue Jays.

Over the streak, Brantley is batting .419 with two homers, eight RBIs, four doubles and six runs scored.

The center fielder has recorded a hit in 41 of his past 44 games, hitting at a .329 clip over that period.

"He has been very consistent with his approach," Indians manager Manny Acta said. "He knows that his job is to give us quality at-bats and drive in runs. He has not tried to do too much."

Brantley has hit in a number of spots in the batting order this season, but Acta says that regardless of where he is hitting -- even the middle of the order -- he doesn't change anything, or try to swing for the fences.

That is something that has especially caught the attention of Acta, and has proven Brantley's team-first mentality.

The 25-year-old has hit in every part of the lineup except eighth or ninth, and primarily out of the five-hole.

Without Brantley's production, Acta doesn't know where his team would be.

"He has been our savior, basically, because of the injury to [Travis] Hafner, and [Carlos] Santana not hitting the way we expected him to hit," Acta said.

Brantley contributes to the club in many areas, as he is batting .294 with three homers, 42 RBIs, 10 stolen bases, and leads the team with four outfield assists.